Microcomputer traffic counter and data collection method
First Claim
1. A system for collecting and processing traffic data, comprising:
- a traffic detection means including a transducer for detecting passage of vehicles and providing a corresponding output signal responsive to each passing vehicle;
a portable field data recording unit including a microprocessor means programmed for receiving and processing the transducer output signals in a field location and tabulating traffic data therefrom over predetermined time intervals and memory means for storing the traffic data;
a traffic data processing computer means programmed for receiving, storing and further processing the traffic data from the field data recording unit at a location removed from the field location; and
connector means for connecting the field data recording unit interchangeably to the transducer in said field location for inputting said output signals and to the data processing computer means in said removed location for communicating the stored traffic data to the computer means;
the connector means including means for connecting the microprocessor means to a power supply when the data recording unit is connected to one of the transducer and the computer means; and
the data recording unit including a power storage means for maintaining power to the memory means independently of the power supply when the data recording unit is disconnected from the transducer and the computer means.
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Abstract
A portable, microprocessor-based data collection unit can be plugged directly into traffic detectors for recording event data, such as traffic volume, disconnected from the traffic detector without loss of data, and then plugged directly into a personal computer to unload the data, communicating via a serial communications cable without any additional interface device or reader. Developed with retrofitting in mind, with its own microprocessor, and battery-powered real-time clock and data storage all interconnected in one circuit, the data collection unit can use existing air switches/loop detectors and power supplies of prior traffic counters. The microprocessor, with suitable software burned into an EPROM, can operate as a microcomputer for interchangeably collecting traffic data and unloading the data to another computer via a common connector. Upon initialization, the microprocessor samples various ports in the connector to determine whether to operate in a field mode or an office mode and, in the field, to which kind of detector it is connected.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A system for collecting and processing traffic data, comprising:
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a traffic detection means including a transducer for detecting passage of vehicles and providing a corresponding output signal responsive to each passing vehicle; a portable field data recording unit including a microprocessor means programmed for receiving and processing the transducer output signals in a field location and tabulating traffic data therefrom over predetermined time intervals and memory means for storing the traffic data; a traffic data processing computer means programmed for receiving, storing and further processing the traffic data from the field data recording unit at a location removed from the field location; and connector means for connecting the field data recording unit interchangeably to the transducer in said field location for inputting said output signals and to the data processing computer means in said removed location for communicating the stored traffic data to the computer means; the connector means including means for connecting the microprocessor means to a power supply when the data recording unit is connected to one of the transducer and the computer means; and the data recording unit including a power storage means for maintaining power to the memory means independently of the power supply when the data recording unit is disconnected from the transducer and the computer means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for collecting and processing traffic data, comprising:
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providing a portable field data recording unit including a microprocessor and data storage memory, and connector means for connecting the field data recording unit interchangeably to a transducer and to a data processing computer; detecting passage of vehicles and providing a corresponding transducer output signal responsive to each passing vehicle; receiving and processing each of the transducer output signals in a field location to tabulate traffic data therefrom over predetermined time intervals, and storing the traffic data for a plurality of said intervals in said data storage memory; disconnecting the field data recording unit from the transducer and connecting it to the data processing computer at a location removed from the field location; transmitting the traffic data from the field data recording unit to the computer; storing and further processing the traffic data in the computer; powering the microprocessor through the connector means; and providing an internal power supply in the data recording unit for maintaining power to the data storage memory independently of the connection means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for collecting and processing traffic data, comprising:
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a traffic detection means including a transducer for detecting passage of vehicles and providing a corresponding output signal responsive to each passing vehicle; a portable field data recording unit including a microprocessor means programmed for receiving and processing the transducer output signals in a field location and tabulating traffic data therefrom over predetermined time intervals and memory means for storing the traffic data; a traffic data processing computer means programmed for receiving, storing and further processing the traffic data from the field data recording unit at a location removed from the field location; and connector means for connecting the data recording unit to one of the transducer and the computer means; the data recording unit including a CPU clock for clocking the microprocessor means and a real-time clock for providing a time of day to the microprocessor means, the CPU clock and the real-time clock operable independently of each other. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for collecting and processing traffic data, comprising:
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a traffic detection means including a transducer for detecting passage of vehicles and providing a corresponding output signal responsive to each passing vehicle; a portable field data recording unit including a microprocessor means programmed for receiving and processing the transducer output signals in a field location and tabulating traffic data therefrom over predetermined time intervals and memory means for storing the traffic data; a traffic data processing computer means programmed for receiving, storing and further processing the traffic data from the field data recording unit at a location removed from the field location; connector means for interchangeably connecting the field data recording unit to the transducer in said field location for inputting said output signals and to the data processing computer means in said removed location for communicating the stored traffic data to the computer means; detection means for detecting whether the recording unit is connected to the transducer or to the computer means; and means in the data recording unit responsive to the detection means for selecting between a first mode of operation to receive signals from the transducer for processing and storing as traffic data if the unit is connected to the transducer and a second mode of operation to communicate stored traffic data to the computer means if the unit is connected to the computer means. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification